Nihalani welcomes verdict on 'Udta Punjab', dubs it as 'victory of democracy'

Welcoming the Bombay High Court's verdict on the film 'Udta Punjab', Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief Pahlaj Nihalani on Tuesday dubbed it as the 'victory of democracy', adding it was not a matter of win or lose.

"Every producer has the right to challenge the CBFC order. We welcome the decision of the Bombay High Court. Now, it is up to the administration to take a call to challenge it. Be it CBFC or the income tax, one can go to the higher authorities after an order. This is a right in a democracy. It's not a matter of win or lose; it's the victory of democracy, it's the victory of the producer and I congratulate him," Nihalani told the media here.

The censor board chief, who was earlier called a 'dictator' by co-producer Anurag Kashyap for bearing down heavily upon the film, said that he acted as per the rule book.

"I don't watch films nor do I have the right to watch films. We respect the order," he added while avoiding posers about the topic of drug menace in Punjab.

The Bombay High Court yesterday cleared the release of 'Udta Punjab', whose makers were locked in a dispute with the CBFC.

A division bench of the High Court directed the CBFC to certify the film within 48 hours to enable the makers to release it on its schedule date on June 17.

The bench refused to stay its order on a plea made by the CBFC counsel to enable the board to appeal against it in the Supreme Court, saying the filmmakers have already spent a lot on the movie and its promotion and distribution.